Manitoba lifts state of emergency as wildfire threat improves

Manitoba has lifted its provincewide state of emergency. 

Premier Wab Kinew announced that as of Monday at noon, the state of emergency under the Emergency Measures Act has been rescinded as many Manitobans have started to make their way home. Kinew says though we are still in a very serious situation, battling the wildfires is something that can be done through "normal government powers." He adds it is important to have a light touch when it comes to something as serious as declaring a state of emergency. 

Province easing fire and travel restrictions

Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) is easing some fire and travel restrictions beginning Thursday morning.

According to our province, recent rainfall and a full green-up have helped reduce the fire risk in some parts of Manitoba. Other areas remain at high risk, with significant fire suppression operations continuing and restrictions still in place.

Effective Thursday at 8 am, areas 1 to 5 and areas 8 to 22 will be at Level 2 (area 1 includes everything from Provincial Road 302 to the Ontario border and south of the Trans Canada Highway). This means: 

Senior Climatologist says summer will be hotter than normal with a wet June

If you have enjoyed the heat in May, you are in for a treat this summer. The Senior Climatologist with Environment Canada has released his summer weather outlook and says the month of May is a sign of things to come.

Weather forecasters use the meteorological calendar, which means summer starts on June 1st and ends on August 31st. David Phillips is forecasting those three months to be warmer than normal for the entire province of Manitoba. He notes that each of those three months is expected to be warmer. 

Senior Climatologist says summer will be hotter than normal with a wet June

If you have enjoyed the heat in May, you are in for a treat this summer. The Senior Climatologist with Environment Canada has released his summer weather outlook and says the month of May is a sign of things to come.

Weather forecasters use the meteorological calendar, which means summer starts on June 1st and ends on August 31st. David Phillips is forecasting those three months to be warmer than normal for the entire province of Manitoba. He notes each of those three months is expected to be warmer. 

Firefighters battle cottage blaze at Falcon Lake

A cottage at Falcon Lake went up in flames Tuesday evening.

At approximately 8:50 pm, Falcon Lake RCMP received a report of a structure fire in Block 11 at Falcon Lake.

Officers attended the scene and saw the cottage engulfed in flames. 

The local fire department, with assistance from the Province of Manitoba Wildfire Service, attended and extinguished the blaze.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Police recover two bodies from Lac du Bonnet wildfire

Police have recovered the bodies of two adults, believed to have died as the result of wildfires in the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet. 

On Wednesday at approximately 9:15 am, Lac du Bonnet RCMP recovered two bodies, believed to be an adult male and adult female, just off Wendigo Road. It is believed that both adults succumbed to injuries sustained in the wildfire.

RCMP were made aware on Tuesday that these individuals were trapped in the fire. However, due to extreme conditions, emergency personnel were not able to reach their location until Wednesday. 

Nopiming Provincial Park evacuated, others on standby

More cottagers in the Whiteshell have been told to be ready for an evacuation order, as the result of an active wildfire burning near Ingolf, Ontario.

According to our province, an evacuation preparedness advisory has been issued for cottagers on the north side of West Hawk Lake, as well as Caddy Lake, Florence Lake, and Nora Lake. Residents in these areas are strongly encouraged to be ready for an evacuation, should conditions get worse. 

Several trails, water routes, portages, and backcountry campsites in Whiteshell Provincial Park are now closed until further notice.

Water levels historically low along the Roseau River

A longtime resident, living near the Roseau River, says what he is witnessing this spring is unlike anything he has ever seen before.

Eighty-three-year-old Brian Grier says the water level along the Roseau River is the lowest he has ever seen it in spring. And for Grier, he has more than seven decades of springs to compare it to. Aside from spending eight years in Alberta, Grier has lived his entire life in the area. Grier is a Councillor for the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin. He also sits on the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District board.